The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has affirmed its state of readiness for the off-cycle governorship elections taking place in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo States on Saturday, 11 November.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, while speaking at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, stated that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has been meticulously configured for deployment to Polling Units, serving as the exclusive method for voter verification through fingerprint and facial biometric authentication.
The Chairman highlighted the seamless process of uploading Polling Unit results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, underscoring the comprehensive training undergone by all election duty officials.
“With less than 48 hours remaining, a substantial 5,169,692 Nigerians holding Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) are expected to participate in these historic off-cycle elections simultaneously held across three crucial geo-political zones: North Central (Kogi), South East (Imo), and South South (Bayelsa),” he said.
He called all election officials to action, emphasizing the values of patriotism and professionalism.
The Chairman also reiterated INEC’s apolitical stance, emphasizing the Commission’s role in ensuring an impartial playing field for all political parties and candidates. The ultimate decision on governors for Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi, he reiterated, rests solely in the hands of the voters.
“INEC has successfully delivered all sensitive and non-sensitive materials required for the elections. Transportation logistics, including both land and maritime options, have been strategically arranged to ensure the prompt commencement of voting, despite challenges posed by difficult terrains and infrastructure in certain locations..
“For these off-cycle elections, INEC is deploying two National Commissioners, nine Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), Administrative Secretaries (ASs), and additional staff from various States to each of the three States, strategically distributed across senatorial zones,” Yakubu said.
While pledging to uphold principles of free, fair, and credible elections, he stressed the importance of collective efforts.
He said security agencies have assured of a secure environment for all participants encompassing voters, electoral officials, accredited observers, media representatives, and polling/collation agents.
